Leicester City fan John Regan has good reason to remember Leicester City’s FA Cup clash against Chelsea in 1997 – one of the most controversial games in the club’s history.

The 65-year-old was at Stamford Bridge for the fifth round replay and, like the rest of the travelling Blue Army, was shocked when referee Mike Reed awarded a 117th-minute penalty as Chelsea’s Erland Johnsen dived in the box to win a penalty.

Frank Leboeuf converted the penalty to dump City out of the FA Cup, but the resulting protest spread far beyond Leicester and even ended with questions to the then-Prime Minister John Major in the House of Commons while BBC radio presenter Danny Baker lost his job after an on-air rant about the decision.

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Regan, then a 44-year-old leading salesman, was the City fan who lodged a legal writ with the courts claiming “shock, trauma and hurt” after needing two days off work to recover.

The fan, who lives off Groby Road, in Leicester, and still travels to all home and away City games has now come forward to talk about events 21 years ago after City were drawn against Chelsea in this season’s quarter-final.

He said: “I thought immediately the Chelsea player went down that it looked dodgy. Then when I saw it on TV later I just could not believe it. It was a disgraceful decision, I just could not believe it.”

Leicester City fan John Regan who took out this legal writ against the FA after the Chelsea FA Cup tie in 1997. PICTURE CHRIS GORDON

The editor of the City fanzine Where’s The Money Gone? took a couple of days off work as afterwards to get over the “shock” and “hurt”.

“I then overheard someone talking and saying wouldn’t it be great if we could sue the referee over his decision,” said John.

“So, I went to the County Court in Leicester to lodge a writ and was told that I couldn’t sue the referee, it would have to be his employers. I paid £20 and lodged a writ for hurt and distress against the Football Association asking for compensation.”

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The writ stated: “The first defendant (the referee) gave a penalty that was made negligently and in breach of his duty of care. As a professional referee he has a duty of care to those persons watching the match.

“The plaintiff suffered trauma, shock and distress acknowledged by independent experts as negligent. The second defendant as employee of the first defendant is liable for the negligent acts of the first defendant.”

Regan was asking for £160 compensation – £100 for two days’ loss of earnings, £20 for his ticket, £20 for travelling and £20 costs for the court fee.

The response was huge after a Leicester Mercury front-page story, with John doing 44 interviews in two days for media organisations across the world.

Simon Grayson and Matt Elliott argue with referee Mike Reed after his controversial penalty award in the FA Cup game at Stamford Bridge in February 1997

John said: “I could not believe the response. I got this huge parcel from the FA with a whole load of details on the case, which was switched from Leicester to London.

“A date was set for the hearing, but the moment had passed. I wasn’t going to attend the hearing. I’m told that the FA spent £33,000 on legal fees and I only paid out a 20 quid to lodge the writ.”

John is looking forward to the quarter-final clash at the King Power Stadium 21 years on and has no doubt how he would like to see it end.

“I really hope City go through with a dodgy penalty in the final minutes of the game – that really would be some form of justice,” he said.